Jessica Matten

Mud on Hudson Bay

Jessica Matten was born in Edmonton and carries the heritage of the Red River Métis and Cree nations. She didn't turn to acting as a romantic refuge; her first brush with the industry came through modeling at age six. Her mother ran an agency, and the world of lights felt natural to her from childhood.

But film came later.

In 2012, she appeared in the short film A Red Girl's Reasoning, directed by Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers. The piece helped spotlight violence against Indigenous women in Canada and defined the kind of stories Matten wanted to tell. Before filming, she prefers to understand the political weight of her character.

When she landed the role of Sokanon in Frontier in 2016, she had to learn how to handle knives and move through icy environments. She shared the screen with Jason Momoa for three seasons in a production that demanded grueling physical work. The series reached a global audience through Netflix in more than 190 countries.

Behind the Scenes

Matten didn't just wait for calls from her agent in Los Angeles or Toronto. She founded the production company 7 Forward Entertainment to give voice to stories that the Canadian system had long overlooked. In 2018, she launched Lemonade Stand to teach young people from Indigenous communities the technical ins and outs of the audiovisual business.

And the project grew quickly.

She often works as a script consultant to ensure cultural accuracy in North American productions. In 2020, she starred in Tribal, playing a police chief on a reservation who must work with federal law enforcement. The storyline explored institutional racism without the usual frills of procedural dramas.

The actress avoids roles that fall into victimhood or cheap mysticism. She prefers characters with dirty hands or clear moral contradictions.

New Mexico Noir

In 2022, she joined the cast of Dark Winds to bring to life Officer Bernadette Manuelito. This series, produced by Robert Redford and George R.R. Martin, is based on the detective novels of Tony Hillerman. The shoot took place entirely on Navajo Nation land and featured a crew made up mostly of Indigenous professionals.

The first season earned a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

In 2024, she appeared in the film Rez Ball, produced by LeBron James for Netflix. The script centers on a high school basketball team in a Native community in New Mexico. Matten plays a coach who must manage grief and competitive pressure in an environment with scarce resources.

Filming for the third season of Dark Winds was scheduled for 2024 in the Santa Fe area, with a budget of more than $ 30 million.